i also appreciate the gentleman's focus on the fiscal cliff and indicating that we need to resolve that prior to leaving the 112th congress. i think those are both positive announcements. i applaud him for that. on the fiscal cliff, we discussed this all the time but i want to inform the majority leader, there are now 175 signatures, we hope to have more, and would obviously welcome people on your side of the aisle, on the discharge petition for the walz bill which mirrors the senate bill as the majority leader i'm sure knows, to assure that no individual who makes $200,000 or less in net taxable income or a family of $250,000 or less will have -- see a tax increase on january 1. hopefully we will resolve the fiscal cliff, get an agreement. but i again ask my friend, the walz bill will be compliant with the rules. it will not have a blue slip problem, obviously. and hopefully we could move that bill. again, for the purposes of giving confidence to the 98% of our taxpayers who are making less than the sums put forward in the bill, $200,000, $250,000. i understand and anticipate the gentl